August 18, 2003

Reuters cameraman Mazen Dana, 43, a Palestinian who has worked for Reuters for a decade, was filming outside Abu Ghraib prison when he was shot, witnesses said.

Reuters soundman Nael al-Shyoukhi, who was working with Dana at the time, said Dana was shot by a U.S. soldier on a tank.

"I cried at the soldier, telling him you killed a journalist. They shouted at me and asked me to step back and I said 'I will step back but please help, please help and stop the bleeding'," Shyoukhi said. The soldiers tried to help but Dana died.

Those poor guys. Dehydrated, demoralized, in the midst of a guerilla war, never knowing where the next attack will be coming from.....while the Empty Flightsuit-in-Chief continues his month-long vacation, broken up by the occasional $1000-a-plate airconditioned shakedown of hyper-rich campaign contributers. Jesus wept.